Bromsgrove 1974

Hymeks continue to appear at Bromsgrove

Despite their diminishing numbers Hymeks still
appeared at Bromsgrove and 7018,
7026 and 7029 were
all seen on local freight workings in the early part
of the year. They had been scheduled for total
withdrawal by 1973, but a few survived until
March
1975. By February there were just ten left in active
service including the three seen at Bromsgrove.

Minor accident at Bromsgrove

There was a minor accident at Bromsgrove on
Wednesday 6th
February when a portion of a Worcester to Bromsgrove
freight broke away from its train and rolled into
the banker sidings demolishing a buffer stop.
Fortunately the banking engines that day 6862 (to be 37162) and
6903
(to be 37203) were
not in the way, having just departed pushing a
freight up the incline.

Summer Timetable Starts

The summer timetable came into effect from
Monday 6th May
and Class 50 diesels are now scheduled on trains
through Bromsgrove. These were the 0740 Penzance to Liverpool
train (as far as Birmingham New Street station
where the locomotive was changed for an electric
powered one) and the 1320 Liverpool to Plymouth
train (from Birmingham New Street station). This was
the first time these locomotives had been rostered
for the Birmingham to Bristol route. Some examples of the
locomotives in use were 50025 on Thursday 6th June and 50001
on Wednesday 3rd July.

August the main holiday month brought a number of
interesting workings:

Sunday 4th August

1046 WESTERN MARQUIS
worked through to Birmingham New Street
station on the 0929
Paignton to Manchester train (that should have
normally started from Bristol). The
locomotive returned from Birmingham New
Street Station to the Western Region on a
Paddington train.

Sunday 11th August

47375 of Knottingley
Depot was on the 2250 Fridays only Bradford
to Paignton train and the 1030 Saturday only Paignton
to Leeds train.

Monday 26th August

47277 of Knottingley
depot was
on the 2250 Fridays only Bradford to Paignton
train and the
1030 Saturday only Paignton to Leeds train.

Tuesday 27th August

31313 hauled failed
46007
from Cheltenham to Birmingham New Street
station with the
northbound CORNISHMAN, arriving 60 minutes
late.

Sunday 31st August

1072 WESTERN GLORY headed
the 1250 relief Newquay to Birmingham New
Street station
throughout, returning with the empty
coaching Stock to
Newton Abbot.

Various occasional observations at Barnt Green over
the period Monday 5th August to
Saturday 10th August
showed traffic to be hauled by the following types
of locomotives:

Class 45/46

35

Class 47

19

Class 31

1 (31286)

Class 25

1 (25073)

total
of

56 observations

During this period theCORNISHMAN (0700 Bradford - Penzance) was
hauled by :

Monday 5th August

46048

Wednesday 7th August

46017

Thursday 8th August

45005

Locomotives on the Redditch Stone Trains

During the 1970's the ARC stone terminal at Redditch
received regular deliveries of stone from their Tytherington Quarry in Gloucestershire. These trains
ran up the Lickey Incline and to avoid running the
train around to gain access to the Redditch branch
they ran via the Camp Hill line through New Street
Station and back via the West Suburban line so that
they could run straight onto the Redditch branch.
The morning train with the reporting number 6M31 to
Redditch was worked by 25135 and
25211 on Thursday 29th
August and by 47262 on
Tuesday 3rd September. On
Tuesday 20th August 47535 worked the
afternoon empty train from Redditch.

Fires on Freight Trains

Two freight observations in September were unusual
due to fires breaking out on the descent of the
incline. On Tuesday 10th September the 0550 Bescot
to Severn
Tunnel Junction service with reporting number 8V75 was noted with the brake van
on fire. A week later the locomotive hauling a
Birmingham to Gloucester special working with the
reporting number 8Z48 was on fire when it passed
Bromsgrove.

Westerns continue to appear at Bromsgrove

October could best be described as the month of the
Westerns. On 5th October Class 52s were rostered to
haul the 0740 Penzance to Liverpool diagram (taking
over from the Class 50's). 1066 WESTERN PREFECT was
noted on this working on Friday 25th October, 1045 WESTERN
VISCOUNT on Friday 22nd November, and 1052 WESTERN VICEROY
on Monday 30th December. AIso on
Sunday 13th October1025 WESTERN
GUARDSMAN reached Derby on a 1355 relief from
Plymouth, returning to Bristol light engine.

Class 44's visit Bromsgrove

Two visitors of note during November were Class 44
locomotives both working on the 1135 Toton to Severn
Tunnel Junction freight. On Tuesday 5th November
by 44007
INGLESBOROUGH and the next day by 44001 SCAFELL
PIKE

The year ended with another failure near Bromsgrove
involving 46052 on the 0625 Bristol
to Liverpool the
train was propelled into Birmingham New Street
station 90 minutes late
by 47012.